Question:
Dry Scalp Help!

I am a 2yr post op bypass patient. I have lost 135 pounds and have had zero complications until now. My scalp out of nowhere has become severly dry and flaky. I went to a dermatologist and he did a scalp biopsy, and the results said it was due to nutritional deficiency. I have searched the net for more information on this and haven't been able to find anything about it. Has anyone else had this issue or anything like it. I am desperate.    — wayoflife (posted on May 19, 2009)

May 19, 2009
I have not had bypass as of yet but I too had a very dry scalp. I was told to use tea tree shampoo. I got it at the salon for about $9.00. It has seemed to help out so far. Give it a try and see if it helps. lscheller
   — lscheller

May 19, 2009
I suggest you go to your PCP and request they run all your vitamins labs so you can pinpoint where to supplement in addition to your multivitamins, B-12 and calcium citrate... Dandruff can be caused by defs in vitamins B2, B6, zinc, magnesium, biotin, commonly...If you are not taking a multivitamin that is high potency and/or very high in B vitamins, this would be a good time to ask your doc about adding a B-complex, B50 or B100 supplement...RNYers tend to take a lot of calcium which can cause a problem with zinc because the calcium inhibits zinc absorption (iron too, which is why we take iron and calcium apart from each other) I take an additional Zinc lozenge because I tend to run low on zinc along with iron! ...Usually zinc and iron come back both low at the same time because they usually come from the same foods and are absorbed the same way and both do not do well with calcium! So...It's time to go get labs rather than guess which vitamins or minerals might be the trouble...IF they take 3 or 4 tubes of blood they are not testing all your vitamins... My last labs were a FULL work up of all my vits and minerals as well as the typical labs...and I gave some 15-20 tubes of blood (I lost count at 12) ...When I got copies of my lab results all my vitamins and their levels were on the 4-5 pages of lab results...So be sure to request that all your vitamins be tested and get copies of the results and look at them yourself! It's best to be your own health care advocate because so many of us do not see our surgeons long term and we need to stay on top of our malabsorptive surgery...For the meantime a shampoo with zinc (Selsun Salon, Head N Shoulders with Zinc, Pantene Dandruff Control, Herbal Essenses "No Flakin' Way") would be a good start. Tell your doc to test for Vit A, D, E and K...Zinc, Magnesium, Selenium, Iron and Ferritin, B1, B6, B12 and Folate, Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) which has your calcium, sodium, protein, potassium etc...CBC's and Lipid Panel, Thyroid Panel, Parathyroid Hormone Intact (PTH Intact)....You want to do these EVERY YEAR! If you have any deficiencies you will want to go more frequent until your levels are good for a few years! Go get labs and start keeping copies so you can compare and look for dropping levels so you can PREVENT deficencies...It's the ONLY way...Just taking a multivitamin is NOT enough to prevent nutritional deficiencies...Good luck!
   — .Anita R.